A variety of stains are available for determining the presence of fungi. Among the fungal stains, selectivity includes fungal mycelia and conidia, mucin, Rickettsia, and nuclei. Typical fixatives include buffered neutral formalin or Zenker’s Fixative. The most common fungal staining solutions are Coleman’s Feulgen with Metanil Yellow, Light Green Solution, Weigert’s Iron Hematoxylin, and Giemsa Solution with Lugol’s or Gram’s Iodine.

Bone & Calcium Stains

Stains for bones and calcium are generally red, for example Nuclear Fast Red and Alizarin Red S. Mayer’s Hematoxylin is also used. These stains are selective toward bones, teeth, and various calcium deposits and compounds. Alcohol and formalin are most commonly chosen for fixatives; in some cases decalcification fluids are recommended.